"Nursing students at West Texas A&M University will host the biannual WTAMU Inner-City Nursing Health Fair from 4-7 p.m. Monday, April 9 at Generation Next Worship Center in Amarillo.
What began as a homeless initiative to promote community health has grown into a citywide event bringing together more than 30 local health resources to educate and provide health screenings to individuals in attendance. The building will be divided into private examination areas, where medical professionals with Heal the City will offer health screenings for STDs, HIV, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, pap smears as well as blood pressure and cholesterol screenings.
“Through the past Homeless and Inner-City Health Fairs, our nursing students have offered health screenings to individuals and families of all ages in the homeless and under-served populations,” Dr. Helen Reyes, department head for nursing and associate professor, said. “Altogether, they have assisted more than 1,300 individuals. This event helps our community and provides valuable field experience to our students.”
Senior I Community Health students spent their semester organizing to solicit donations and ultimately raised 12 times the amount of the original health fair. They coordinated with local vendors to offer haircuts, clothing, safe sex education, a simulation house for kids to escape smoke and 300 free meals for participants from Youngblood’s Café.
“As a nurse, personally witnessing the effects of chronic illness or disease processes that could have been prevented or improved serve as personal motivation to educate and provide resources to individuals in the community,” Priscella Correa, instructor of community health, said. “The experience of organizing the health fair is an opportunity in which students are able to apply their knowledge into practice.”
In addition to organizing health screenings, WTAMU nursing students have collected and purchased personal hygiene supplies, umbrellas for shade, a variety of nutritious food items and bikes to be won by participants to promote wellness. Students and supporters of the health fair believe caring for individuals makes for a healthier city, creating a better place to live.
“As a nursing student, organizing the fair has showed us health issues in the surrounding areas and helped us identify the lack of means for some individuals. Being able to utilize community resources with a team is valuable experience for future health care specialists,” Emily Resendez, a nursing student, said. “Amarillo benefits when people are given healthful resources and education. Not only does the health fair raise awareness and prevent disease progression with early detection, it also positively affects the economy by decreasing health problems and lowering the poverty rate.”
If you would like to make a donation, volunteer or learn more about the WTAMU Inner-City Nursing Health Fair, contact Correa at pcorrea@wtamu.edu for more information."
-West Texas A&M University
